Building construction



April 7 1953 J. A. moNlzu-:Ro 2,633,735

` BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2, 1948 @if @i i!HEEEEMMMH!!EMMIIIIMHMMEEEEE! 1 IN VEN TOR.

Jflm andefa H TTORNE'Y Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES raTENT oFFIcE BUILDING CDNSTRUCTION John A. Donder-o, New York, N. Y.

Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,509

Claims.

The present invention relates to a building construction and to means adapted to Ibe utilized for maintaining such as walls, ceilings and the like in position. Y

In the construction of walls and ceilings of buildings it has been general practice to first erect some sort of foundation or base Vstructure to thereafter apply a plaster retaining lath over the foundation or base, and to finally apply various coatings of plaster to the retaining wood or wire lath. Such constructions and methods are time consuming, laborious and expensive.

Y Attempts have been made to facilitate erection of walls, ceilings and the like by utilizing relatively large preformed panels vcf plaster board, sheet rock and the like; such materials are manufactured in relatively large panels and may be nailed to previously attached supporting strips to quickly cover or nish off relatively large areas.

vOne diiiiculty with this latter method of construction, however, has been the need of rst carefully aligning the various supporting surfaces or foundation strips prior to attachment of the Wall panels or sheets thereto. If the portions of foundation structure are irregular or out of alignment the problem is complicated due to the desirability of "trueing up the foundation strips or structure prior to securing the panels thereto; if this is not done the subsequently attached panels will be out of alignment, uneven, wavy, etc. Various shims, wedges and washers have been utilized in order to line up supporting strips or wall panels to provide a wall surface having all the attached panels in alignmentat their inner or exposed surface. Y The various leveling or trueing steps necessary in connection with such previous methods of construction have necessitated the utilization of levels, plum bobs and various accurate measurements, all of which are time consuming, laborious and which result in considerably increasing the production costs. In many instances after the wall panels or sheets have beeninstalled they have been discovered to be out of alignment, uneven, buckled, etc.; the only really satisfactory manner'of overcoming such defects has been to remove the material from its fastenings and to make additional adjustments in the underlying areas or points of contact. f Previous methods of'construction have includedno means or method for quickly and con-v mountedinplace.;

above and other diiculties or disadvantages by providing a building construction and wall supporting or positioning means which may be readily and rapidly installed 'at relatively low cost and which facilitates ready adjustment of Wall panels or other structures subsequent to placing them in position to form a Wall surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved building construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means adapted to be utilized for positioning or supporting structures such as Wall panels, ceiling panels and the like.

Another object is tc provide a new and improved positioning and supporting device which may be readily adjusted to desired position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved supporting or locating device which may be readily adjusted after a lmember such as a Wall panel is assembled therewith.

Still another object is to provide a positioning device which embodies new and improved means adapted to assist in locating members such as Wall panels.

Other and further objects of the invention Will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to lbe described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. y

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawv ings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating the present device embodied in a building construction;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational View illusratin' a portion of the structure shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating another form of the invention.

For purposes'of convenience and brevity the term wall is used herein to indicate and include upright Wall members, ceiling members, floor members, or the like, Without regard to the exact form, size, position or location thereof.

A preferred form of the present invention is illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The present locating devices l and 2 are disclosed projecting outwardly from an upright Wall t and serving to locate wall panels or mem'bers 6 and 1, which may be relatively large sheets or panels of some wall-forming material.

In these two .gures upright Wall '4 .is provided 3 at suitably spaced intervals with apertures or recesses 8 and 9, into which extend elongate or rod-like members I and Ii, the elongate members being securely held or gripped by some suitable anchoring means. The particular anchoring means shown comprises a substantially conical inner member I3 around which extends an outer tubular member I4; these anchors are commercially available. n operation an elongate member, with an inner conical member i3 and an outer tubular member I4 thereon adjacent one end is inserted into a recess in the wall and thereafter the outer tubular member I4 is forced toward the bottom of the recess so that its inner end portions ride upwardly or outwardly along the inclined surfaces of the inner conical member i3. The effect is to force the outer tubular meinber I4, which is preferably of some relatively soft metal such as lead, rmly into engagement with adjacent walls of the recesses, thus providing an internally threaded 'socket that is firmly engaged with 'the walls' of the recess. 1f desired the outer tubular member id vof 'the anchoring means may be 4ferced toward the bottom of the partieular recess 'sufficiently vto cause the 'outwardly disposed end thereof to 'move inwardly into contact with the centrally disposed velongate member II (note the lower part 'of Fig. l) The particular anchoring means I3, I4 illustrated is merely illustrative 'as any other 'appropriate means may be utilized Vfor retaining the elongate or rod-like members I0, I I in position with respect to a wall 4.

As shown in Fig. l the elongate members IIB and 'II project outwardly from the foundation wall 'il at substantially right angles 'thereto but the recesses 8 and may be provided at any desired angie in order to facilitate obtaining a desired angularposition of an elongate member with'respect to the surface of the foundation wall d; in most instances it will be desired to have the elongate members extend outwardly substantially perpendicular to the foundation Wall 1t.

`Each of the elongate members I'I' and il is provided with a screw threaded outer surface, over Vwhich is fitted an linternally serew threaded sleeve-like or tube-like member, IIS and il, 1- espectively. Projections I9, extend 'laterally from the sleeve-'like members I6, AI and provide locating or supporting seats 'for the wall panels or members I5,

Rotation of a sleeve-like member 'eire'cts rmovement of it aleng an elongate memberfand correspondingly shifts the position -of the flange, seat, or collar i9, 2f). The Wall panels Aor members -6 and l' are provided with openings or apertures 5 and :I2 adapted to receive vthe sleeve-like members IIE and i-'I and rest at their inwardly disposed surfaces against the seating projections I9, 20, lthe seating projections serving to locate yor position the wall panels. While the locatingdevices I and 2 are shown in Fig. ll adjacent thefree edges of wall panels S 'and 'Lit will be clear that they will in actual usage extend -into apertures suitably spaced over the area to be covered by a section of wall material, e. g., at the crners 'and at other positions within the borders of the wall panel so as to suitably support the Wall panels.

The length of a sleeve-like member It, 'I'I is preferably less than the thickness of the particular wall member to be positioned or supportedso that the devices may be concealed from View when embodied in a finished wall, as will be hereinafter described. The sleeve-like members projectinto the apertures Y5, I2, of the wall members 6, '1, and the outwardly facing 'surfaces fof the seating projections i9, 20 serve to locate the wall members 6, 1. The side edges of the apertures e, I2 through the wall members 6, 'I preferably do not rest against the screw threaded surfaces of elongate members I0 and II but instead rest against the outer surfaces of the sleeve-like members I6, I7. This facilitates movement andV positioning of the wall members as the side edges of the apertures t, l2 through the latter members are held out of contact with the elongate screw threaded members themselves, which otherwise would tend to dig into the edges of the wall panels and interfere with movement of them along the elongate members. The smooth exterior surfaces of the -sleeve-like members It, il' facilitate positioning of the wall panels S, into position against the outwardly disposed surfaces of the collars or seating projections i9, 2i) carried thereby.

v.After a wall member or panel 6, 'I has been placed 'in position over the 'loca-ting `sleeve .members, and against the seating projections carried thereby, the sleeve members may be rotated to shift the positions of the seating projections and wall member 'along the elongate members and toward 'or away vfrom 'the underlying supporting wall. Rotation of 'the 'sleeves and seating projections is 'facilitated by providing, at or 'adjacent the outwardly disposed 'ends of the sleeve-like members, means adapted to cooperate with a wrench or other tool. In lFigs. 1 'and 2 'the outer end of the sleeve member is provided with 'recess-es or slots Aadapted to receive complementary portions of an adjusting tool. When `a 'Wall 'panel has been initially positioned 'against 'a `seating projection the particular adjusting tool maybe ntted into the slot '22 (note the lower part of Fig. l) vand the `tool rotated to rcorre'spondingly turn the sleeve :and shift the position of 'the seating projection. As shown in Fig. l the vlower wall panel rn'ay be moved outwardly into alignment with the upper wall panel 6 'by rotating the sleeve member I? and moving the supporting 'seat U, together with the seated wall panel 7, butwardly along the elongate member I'i.

When v a IJ'articul'ar 'adjustment or alignment has been obtained th'e wall panel or other memberl l' may be 'secured 1in -p'osition by applying a washer y23 'and nut v2-'4 to the elongate member. The washer 23 and Avnii-t 2f4 preferably are 'positioned 'within 'a cnmt'ersun'k recess '25, 126 -of 'the wall vpanel or wall member f6, 'I -so thatsome dll-ing material such as plaster or cement may be placed in the counter'sun'k openings 25, 216 to 'conceal Jhe Washers and nuits vfrom viewfand provide fa 'smooth unbroken exposedwallsurface. Cracks or's'paces 28 intermediate 4adjacent wall members may 'be fil-led with Aplaster Vo'r`1"il1ing material.

For purposes 'of illustration the wall panel 'I illustrated iin Fig. *1 has been shown at a Edifieren-t level vtlflan that llof the wall panel f6; 'iin most stances the wall 'panels for 4'me'iribers il :will "be moved intofalignm'ent with each other to provide an 'unbroken surface. In seme instanees it may be desired to provide counter-sume panel effects and this vmay be 'readily rprovided by Zappropriately .positioning the locating sleeves -an'd seating projections.

In operation the locating for :supporting 'devices may be vasser'nbled by first placing A`the elongate rods and anchors in desired .positions in "recesses of a foundation or Isupporting 1`wall, the :recesses 8, 9 being drilled or formed .fatappropriate Sintervalsfover the surface'of fthe fsupportin'gorfoundation Wall 4. 'The rod-like .members I0 and Il anchoring means. ThereafterA the sleeve-like members and their seating projectionsl may be threaded onto the elongate membersl until the seating projections are positioned in approximately the desired plane of the wall panels. A wall panel or vother section of material to be supported may then be mounted upon the spaced supporting and positioning means so that the sleeve members fit into openings or apertures in the wall panels. The variousl sleeves and seating projections may then be adjusted by means of a key wrench or other tool, (not shown) inserted into the adjusting slots 22, the sleeve and seating projection being adjusted to place the exposed or outwardly disposed surface of the wall panel in a desired plane or alignment. The particular alignment or positioning of the wall panels or other members '6 and 1 may be determined by spirit level, plumb bob line measurement or the like. After a desired position has been obtained the washers 23 and securing nuts 24 may be applied in the countersunk openings to fasten the panels or material firmly into position. Thereafter the countersunk openings 25 and 26 may be filled with plaster to form an unbroken wall surface.

Where the invention is utilized in connection with supporting wall panels to form a ceiling, the sleeve members and their outwardly extending seating projections may be reversed from normal position of use so that the seating projections are positioned at the outwardly disposed side of the wall panel and serve to support its weight on the elongate or rod-like supporting members. In most instances, however, the washers 23 and nut 24 will be utilized to secure wall panels or other members in position.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention which differs from the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, inthat the sleeve-like member 3B is somewhat longer and is provided with adjustment means or slots 22a adjacent each end thereof, the seating projection 3| being positioned intermediate the ends and substantially at the mid portion of the sleeve-like member 30. In some cases it may be desirable to facilitate adjustment of the seating projection from either the outwardly or inwardly disposed surface of the wall panel 32 and the provision of adjustment-facilitating means at each end of the hollow facilitates this. Another advantage of the modified form shown in Fig. 3 is that the hollow member 30 may be applied to the elongate member 29 in either direction; there is no possibility of inadvertently applying` the hollow member so that the adjusting means 22a is concealed behind a wall panel 32.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved building construction and device for facilitating the erection and positioning of wall panels, boards or other members. The device facilitates the positioning of `walls and the like subsequent to initial erection; it is not necessary to remove a wall member subsequent to its installation in order to remedy an inaccuracy or to make a desired adjustment. The present devices may be positioned to locate wall panels or other members in approximately the desired plane and subsequent adjustments to an exactly correct position may be easily made after the wall panel has been initially installed to some roughly correct position. The wall panels or members are supported on the sleeve-like members for ready and convenient adjustment and may be securely maintained in position by retaining washers and nuts; the retaining washersand nuts may be thereafter concealed from view by filling countersunk openings to provide a ysmooth and unbroken wall. The resulting buildingV4 construction and the devices themselves are rugged or sturdy and well adapted to Withstand rough usage to which they may be subjected., y Y

As various-changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts hereinvwithout departing from thespirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in Va limitingA sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

,1. The combination withy a foundation wall having a threaded rod securedthereto adjacent an inner end thereof-and provided with an outer end spaced from the Wall, said rod being of substantially uniform diameter from the outer end thereof along the major portion of its length, of an interiorly threaded generally tubular member threaded on said rod having an exterior Surface to locate a panel laterally of said rod and having a fiange fixed to and projecting laterally therefrom at a location spaced inwardly from the outer end of the tubular member and rod so that a portion of the rod extends outwardly beyond said tubular member, a panel having an aperture therein defined by surface portions 1ying in close proximity to exterior surfaces of said tubular member Iand being laterally located thereby, said tubular member being adjustable along the rod for varying the spacing of the fiange from the foundation wall, and means carried by the outwardly extending portion oi the rod clamping said panel against said flange.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, in which said tubular member and rod terminate at a location spaced inwardly of an exposed surface of the panel.

3. In combination with a foundation wall and an apertured wall member extending generally along a face of the foundation Wall, a threaded rod having inner and outer ends, foundation wall anchoring means carried by the rod adjacent its inner end to hold the rod in protruding relationship with respect to said foundation wall face, an interiorly threaded generally tubular member threaded on said rod having an exterior surface to contact surf-ace portions forming said aperture and locate the wall member laterally of said rod and having its opposite end portions intermediate and spaced from said inner and outer rod ends, a wall member supporting flange secured to the tubular member and projecting laterally therefrom at a location spaced inwardly from an outwardly disposed end of the tubular member and rod, a shoulder on said tubular member adjacent its outer end engageable by a tool to facilitate rotation of the tubular member and adjustment of tubular member and flange in either direction along the rod so as to vary the spacing of the flange and wall member from the foundation wall, and means in threaded engagement with the outwardly extending portion of the rod and adjustable therealong to hold the wall member firmly against said flange.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3, in which said laterally projecting flange is carried by the tubular -member at a location about mid- Way between opposite ends of the tubular member.

f5. A device to maintan 'a wall menber ip'aeed from a foundation vv'Wall and a'djus'taby DUSltion the Wall :member 'with respect to the* fece of the foundation Wall comprising the -rcombinition of e threaded rod nevi-ng irmer'end buter yenlls, means fcarred by the `t'l'i'readed 'rod `'acifadent its inner endfor xediy seeming the rod fto Vthe 10u11- dation wall, an interiorly threaded generally '41ubillar member threaded on zsaid rod 'having its opposite end portions Yin#er-nimh'aise end Espaced from sa--d inner and outer red ends fand heving a ange -secured `to the 'mieu-lar member and projecting therefrom Sat a location spaced an outwardly disposed fend of "the tubular meme bei'. a slot in said tubular member for ffafiliteting movement thereof Withsa'id mingle eleng vihe rod so as no vary tf'he speci-ng of the 'ang'e l'from a foundation well, and -means fin engagement with :the outwafdly extending portion 'fof n15h-e T613 8 alndfadustable therealong to clamp a, will mem--v ber against said Harige.

JOHN A. DONDERO.

REFERENCES CITED `The .following references are of record in the le of 'this patent:

UNITED .STATES PATENTS 

